Round Tower Technique

[ZCerberus]

So I was asked about the construction of a round tower for a Kalphlin Tower that I made a while back in the GoH subforum. I decided since it was a general tower building technique, it can be post out here in the general history forum for everyone to see. I probably would have elected to NOT show step by step work or take that tower apart, but as luck would have it, I was planning to make another tower for another MOC, so this seemed like a good place to photograph the construction process. The photos were taken with my camera phone since it was easy to take and upload them, so they aren't perfectly lit, in focus, or with a nice solid background. Don't think that means photos of finished MOCs should be done as poorly as these!

I don’t recall where, but I originally saw this technique using the tank treads on Flickr or the like. I started working with the technique but found it too flimsy and not well suited to place a top or bottom connection on a MOC. After a little tinkering, I found a good way to strengthen the internals of the build and allow connection points on the top and the bottom. Once again, I did not invent some of this technique, I merely made an improvement on it.

First things first- we are going to need four wheels of this size.

Next we are going to need some of the large tank treat. The right amount to wrap around a wheel is 9 links. Since we have four wheels to cover, that means we need 36 links total.

After wrapping both wheels with tread, I place them on an axel so they are off set by half a tread link. This means the center of one tread link is right in the space between two treads on the other wheel.

Next I add the half Technic pins so I can start connecting Technic beams.

Then I add a layer of Technic beams on the treads. Ignore the extra half pins that are sticking out in the photo, I didn’t remove them from a prior project before sticking them in here. There will be a SECOND layer of Technic beams, so the half pins should NOT be in there.

If I want a taller tower, I repeat the same steps to make a second super structure cylinder and connect them with a Technic axel. Here is where the other two wheels and 18 links of tread are used.

Next I add a second layer of Technic beams and place some half pins in the beams so I can also add two layers of single width plates. Notice in this picture I have the two layers of Technic beams and on five of the spokes I also have added my layers of plates.

After adding the plate layers, I can add the tiles to complete the look.

There we have it, a round tower with a connection point in the form of a Technic axel on the top and bottom

And the resulting tower...

[MikeyB]

Great Tutorial Z, glad to see how you made that great tower.

I will have to put these parts on my "to buy" list for BL so I can try to replicate it in the future.

Thanks again

Mikey

[legoaddict]

Great technique used. Thank you for sharing.

[soccerkid6]

Thanks for making the tutorial Not as complicated as I thought, I'll have to keep this technique in mind

[Lasse]

Brilliant technique

[Kai NRG]

Thanks Z, I like that technique, might try it on a smaller scale should I ever get treads (I wonder if there would be a different piece that would work?). I always have wondered how you did that tower, glad you shared it!

[monsinjor]

Great tutorial, thank you for that.

[fred67]

That's a great tower technique I'd never seen - I happen to have all those pieces, so even though I don't have a project in mind I will probably try it out just to see.

[PenPlays]

Why thank you for getting on to this so quickly Zr. Definitely going to be using this in the future. I just need to find a massive amount of 2x2 tiles in a stone color of some sort.

[Capt. Stabbin]

Thanks for sharing! Now I have a use for all those dark tan 2x2's I got off the PaB wall!!

[Legonardo]

weirdly enough I have all the parts necessary (apart from the tiles) so I may try it. great work and thankyou!

[bsmith13]

Thanks for the tutorial - that was great! Now I need to collect the pieces...

[Andy D]

I am going to have to try this! I have the pieces, so it is just time that I need.

Thanks for posting this.

Andy D

Edited November 9, 2012 by Andy D

[Redhead1982]

Interesting technique and thanks for sharing. Since I don't have any bricks like that I'm unlikely to try it, but it's nice to see a build from more unusual bricks.

[Legonardo]

Ok built something, for those with limited parts, the second row of technique stuff can be these ~

thanks Z!

[markus1984]

Great tower!

Thanks for sharing it, another new technique more to use

[Kai NRG]

Since I don't have any of those treads, I decided to see if I could come up with another way(s) to do the same basic thing:

I first tried type B, but didn't have enough half pins to go around. So I restarted from ground 0 and came up with A (and built a tower). It's not nearly as wide as Z's (though, with a lot of time and bricks, that probably could be fixed), and would look strange if you made it too tall, but it worked for me. B is very loose, as the top and bottom are not actually attached (otherwise they wouldn't form the right angles).

[PenPlays]

^ Again... Now why didn't I think if that!?!

[Sered]

Great technique and thank for sharing.

I would to try it definitely.

Edit: I've just checked the liftarm's price on BL, there are very expensive unfortunately. Liftarm 15 or 13x could be replaced by more smaller liftarms.

Edited November 15, 2012 by Sered

[Marc2501]

Nice :)

Thanks alot

[ZCerberus]

I've just checked the liftarm's price on BL, there are very expensive unfortunately. Liftarm 15 or 13x could be replaced by more smaller liftarms.

Technic bricks will work instead of beams as well. I went with the beams since I would typically use them less in other builds and they aren't as sleek. Try that out instead!

[Sered]

Technic bricks will work instead of beams as well. I went with the beams since I would typically use them less in other builds and they aren't as sleek. Try that out instead!

Thank you, I'll try with techinic bricks

[Bob De Quatre]

It may be a good idea to have a place to regroup and share building techniques.

[Doctor Whom]

^{The original inspiration for this is probably this page: http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/92430. It doesn't use long technic beams. I will point out that the tank tread had a small redesign after this was posted, so the technique works a little better with the older ones.}

^{P.S. It bugs me a little bit that you're attaching 1/2 pins to the tank tread instead of 3/4 pins. But I guess most people don't have many 3/4 pins.}

[sgtbernalcl25]

great information, where did the black pieces come from that you used for the start of the build?